--- title: "Filter" url: "https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/TFXSCATTEROVERRIDE-FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_GROUP.html" section_path: "Object Manager > Tags Menu > MoGraph Tags > Scatter Tag > Filter" element_id: "TFXSCATTEROVERRIDE" group_id: "FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_GROUP" description: "This section contains evaluation functions for the object on which the instances are placed. For example, instances can be restricted to growing only …" --- ## Filter This section contains evaluation functions for the object on which the instances are placed. For example, instances can be restricted to growing only within a specific elevation range, or they can be automatically removed from sections of terrain that are too steep. ![Image: subgroup.gif](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/subgroup.gif)\ Altitude ![An example of a landscape in which vegetation can grow only within a specific elevation range, or in which only that elevation range remains free of placed trees and shrubs.](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2027-0_Scatter_Generator_Filter_Altitude.png) An example of a landscape in which vegetation can grow only within a specific elevation or width range, or in which only that range remains free of placed trees and shrubs. This section contains evaluation functions for the object on which the instances are placed. For example, instances can be restricted to growing only within a specific elevation range, or they can be automatically removed from sections of terrain that are too steep. ### Mode Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_ALTITUDE_OVERRIDE` Here, you can choose whether the object should react to filter settings at all, and whether these are determined by the *Scatter* object or by the *Scatter* tag: - *Off*: Neither the filters configured by the *Scatter* object nor those configured by the *Scatter* tag are applied. - *Inherit*: This is the default setting, which causes the tag-carrying object to receive only the filters from the *Scatter* object. - *Override*: Enable this mode to apply the filter settings set in the tag to the object, thereby overriding the *Scatter* object's filter settings. ### Altitude Min Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_ALTITUDE_MIN` · Range: [0..100%] ### Altitude Max Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_ALTITUDE_MAX` · Range: [0..100%] You use these percentages to define a size range within which only instances should remain visible, or to specify the size range from which instances should be removed. These percentages always refer to the size of the bounding box and therefore always indicate the maximum extent of the object over which the instances are distributed. The axis direction of the bounding box to be evaluated is selected via the **Axis** setting. This means that an instance distribution can also, for example, be restricted along the X-direction and does not necessarily have to correspond to the elevation of a terrain. ### Invert Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_ALTITUDE_INVERT` As shown in the figure above, the selected area can also be inverted so that only instances outside the specified area remain visible. ### Breakup Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_ALTITUDE_BREAKUP` · Range: [0..100%] This allows you to smoothly transition between the original arrangement of the instances and the placement restricted by the **Altitude Min**/**Altitude Max** settings. At 100%, you’ll get exactly the same result as if the **Enable** option for the *Altitude* range were disabled. ### Axis Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_ALTITUDE_AXIS` Here, you specify the axis direction on the bounding box that is to be evaluated for the altitude range. You use the following **Object Space** option to determine whether the axis directions of the global world axes or the axis directions of the object on which the instances are placed are to be evaluated. ### Object Space Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_ALTITUDE_OBJECTSPACE` If this option is turned off, the world axes are selected via the **Axis** menu. Otherwise, the axes of the object on which the instances are distributed are used.\ The bounding box dimensions of the object on which the instances will be placed are read based on the selected axis direction and are then used, together with the **Altitude** settings, to filter out the instances. ![Image: subgroup.gif](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/subgroup.gif)\ Slope ![An example of a landscape in which vegetation can grow only within a specific slope range.](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2027-0_Scatter_Generator_Filter_Slope_01.png) An example of a landscape in which vegetation can grow only within a specific slope range. This makes it easy, for example, to prevent instances from being placed on surfaces that are too steep. This settings block automatically removes instances that have been placed on surface sections that are too steep. To do this, you can specify angles that are then excluded from, for example, a terrain. ### Mode Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_SLOPE_OVERRIDE` Here, you can choose whether the object should react to filter settings at all, and whether these are determined by the *Scatter* object or by the *Scatter* tag: - *Off*: Neither the filters configured by the *Scatter* object nor those configured by the *Scatter* tag are applied. - *Inherit*: This is the default setting, which causes the tag-carrying object to receive only the filters from the *Scatter* object. - *Override*: Enable this mode to apply the filter settings set in the tag to the object, thereby overriding the *Scatter* object's filter settings. ### Angle Min Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_SLOPE_MIN` · Range: [0..90°] ### Angle Max Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_SLOPE_MAX` · Range: [0..90°] Here, you specify the minimum and maximum slopes of the terrain that should be kept clear of instances. The surface normal of a landscape is calculated relative to the local axis direction set for the **Up-Vector**. By default, for a landscape elevating from the XZ plane, a **Up-Vector***Y* is already the most appropriate setting. The two angles can then be used to specify the range of slopes that should be excluded from instances. However, by additionally enabling the **Invert** option, this effect can also be reversed. Only instances within this slope range will then be displayed. ### Invert Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_SLOPE_INVERT` This reverses the filter effect for *Slope*. ### Breakup Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_SLOPE_BREAKUP` · Range: [0..100%] This allows you to smoothly transition between the original arrangement of the instances and the placement restricted by the **Angle Min**/**Angle Max** settings. At 100%, you’ll get exactly the same result as if the **Enable** option for the *Slope* range were disabled. ### Up-Vector Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_SLOPE_UPVECTOR` The direction selected here is used to calculate the angle of inclination of the surface on which the instances are distributed. In addition to the standard *X*, *Y*, and *Z* directions, an *Object* can also be assigned. In that case, the line connecting this object to the object used for placing the instances is used as the axis direction. For regular landscapes that lie in the XZ plane and extend upward along the Y-axis, the default setting of *Y* is already the correct choice. ### Object Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_SLOPE_OBJECT` Optionally, the **Up-Vector** calculation can also be based on the position of an object assigned here. ![Image: subgroup.gif](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/subgroup.gif)\ Boundary ![An example of a landscape in which vegetation can grow only nearby the open geometry edges.](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2027-0_Scatter_Generator_Filter_Boundary_01.png) An example of a landscape in which vegetation can grow only nearby its outer borders. This is helpful for strategically concealing the exposed edges in outdoor areas—such as a landscape feature—by placing vegetation there. ### Mode Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_BOUNDARY_OVERRIDE` Here, you can choose whether the object should react to filter settings at all, and whether these are determined by the *Scatter* object or by the *Scatter* tag: - *Off*: Neither the filters configured by the *Scatter* object nor those configured by the *Scatter* tag are applied. - *Inherit*: This is the default setting, which causes the tag-carrying object to receive only the filters from the *Scatter* object. - *Override*: Enable this mode to apply the filter settings set in the tag to the object, thereby overriding the *Scatter* object's filter settings. ### Distance Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_BOUNDARY_DISTANCE` · Range: [0..+∞m] This describes the width of the strip along the open edges of the geometry within which the instances remain visible. Alternatively, you can use the **Invert** option to keep this outer area free of instances. ### Invert Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_BOUNDARY_INVERT` This reverses the effect of boundary filtering. Instances then remain visible only within the interior of the assigned geometry, and the object's edge area remains clear. ### Breakup Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_BOUNDARY_BREAKUP` · Range: [0..100%] This allows you to create a transition between the unoccupied areas and the areas covered by instances. At high values, the result is the same as if *Boundary* filtering were turned off. ![Image: subgroup.gif](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/subgroup.gif)\ Curvature ![Examples about placing scattered instances only on the convex or only on the concave parts of a landscape object.](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2027-0_Scatter_Generator_Filter_Conv_Conc.png) Examples of filtering outwardly curved (convex, on the left in the figure) and inwardly curved (concave, on the right in the figure) areas. This filter category allows you to specifically display instances only on outwardly curved, *Convex* areas or on inwardly curved, *Concave* areas. The *Concave* filter can then be used, for example, to place loose rocks only in the valleys and dips of a terrain, regardless of their elevation within the landscape. ### Mode Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_CURVATURE_OVERRIDE` Here, you can choose whether the object should react to filter settings at all, and whether these are determined by the *Scatter* object or by the *Scatter* tag: - *Off*: Neither the filters configured by the *Scatter* object nor those configured by the *Scatter* tag are applied. - *Inherit*: This is the default setting, which causes the tag-carrying object to receive only the filters from the *Scatter* object. - *Override*: Enable this mode to apply the filter settings set in the tag to the object, thereby overriding the *Scatter* object's filter settings. ### Min Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_CURVATURE_MIN` · Range: [0..100%] ### Max Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_CURVATURE_MAX` · Range: [0..100%] Depending on the selected **Mode**, you can define a minimum and a maximum angular deviation—based on the maximum outward (*Convex*) or inward (*Concave*) curvature—for which instances should remain visible. ### Invert Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_CURVATURE_INVERT` This allows you to reverse the visibility of the instances filtered out by *Curvature* filtering. ### Breakup Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_CURVATURE_BREAKUP` · Range: [0..100%] This allows you to create a transition between the unoccupied areas and the areas covered by instances. At high values, the result is the same as if *Curvature* filtering were turned off. ### Mode Parameter ID: `FXSCATTER_OVERRIDE_FILTER_CURVATURE_MODE` Here, you can choose whether the instances should remain visible only on the outwardly curved (*Convex*) areas, the inwardly curved (*Concave*) areas, or on all curved areas (*Both*).